Being a successful FinTech firm requires more than just great technology; it also requires an understanding of the laws and regulations applicable to your business. This course will provide you with that understanding. You will learn about the critical legal, regulatory, and policy issues associated with cryptocurrencies, initial coin offerings, online lending, new payments and wealth management technologies, and financial account aggregators. In addition, you will learn how regulatory agencies in the U.S. are continually adjusting to the emergence of new financial technologies and how one specific agency has proposed a path for FinTech firms to become regulated banks. You will also learn the basics of how banks are regulated in the U.S.
If you are unfamiliar with how these new financial technologies work, fear not. We will begin each new course section with a high-level overview of the underlying technology. While the course is principally focused on the U.S. FinTech industry, we cannot possibly cover every relevant legal and regulatory issue. Therefore, this course should not be construed as legal advice. Rather, the goal of the course is to familiarize you with the key legal and regulatory challenges FinTech firms in various sectors face, as well as the critical policy debates that are occurring in Washington D.C. and state capitals across the country.

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100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Beginner Level

Beginner Level

Hours to complete

Approx. 12 hours to complete

Suggested: 9 hours/week...

Available languages

English

Subtitles: English

100% online

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Beginner Level

Beginner Level

Hours to complete

Approx. 12 hours to complete

Suggested: 9 hours/week...

Available languages

English

Subtitles: English

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week

1

Hours to complete

19 minutes to complete

Welcome to FinTech Law and Policy

In this course, you will learn about the critical legal, regulatory, and policy issues associated with cryptocurrencies, initial coin offerings, online lending, new payments and wealth management technologies, and financial account aggregators. In addition, you will learn how regulatory agencies in the U.S. are continually adjusting to the emergence of new financial technologies and how one specific agency, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, has proposed a path for FinTech firms to become regulated banks. ...

The Evolving Relationship Between FinTechs, Regulators, and Traditional Financial Institutions

This module begins with a preview of the key regulatory challenges facing FinTech firms and provides several examples of what can happen when FinTech firms fail to comply with applicable laws and regulations. We then look at how the FinTech industry has evolved post-2008 - from a disrupt mentality to one of “strategic partnership” - along with corresponding FinTech industry investment trends. Next, we examine the challenges regulators face in responding to new FinTech developments and detail how several U.S. regulatory agencies have adjusted thus far. We conclude this module by exploring one specific regulatory approach, known as a “sandbox,” that has been deployed in other countries and in one U.S. state....

Cryptocurrency and Initial Coin Offerings

This module first provides an overview of cryptocurrencies and distributed ledger technology, and then examines how cryptocurrency is regulated by various state and federal agencies. You will also learn how cryptocurrency is regulated as: money, a commodity, and property. The module concludes with an examination of initial coin offerings and their regulatory treatment. ...

FinTech Lending

This module will introduce you to the various types of FinTech lending models and the regulatory treatment of these lenders. You will learn how many FinTech lenders are partnering with regulated banks to get around the state-by-state restrictions that apply to non-bank lenders. ...

Banking Regulation in the U.S.

Many FinTech firms are interested in becoming regulated banks. This module will teach you about the process of becoming a bank and the government agencies responsible for regulating banks in the U.S. We will look at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s proposal to grant a new type of bank charter specifically for FinTech firms and the options currently available to FinTech firms that would like to become a bank. ...

Instructor

About Duke University

Duke University has about 13,000 undergraduate and graduate students and a world-class faculty helping to expand the frontiers of knowledge. The university has a strong commitment to applying knowledge in service to society, both near its North Carolina campus and around the world....

Frequently Asked Questions

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When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?

Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.

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What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?

When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.